Domesday BookMiddlesexKingsbury
Middlesex · Domesday Book 1086

Kingsbury in the Domesday Book

A settlement recorded in William the Conqueror's great survey of England, completed in 1086. 2 manors were recorded here.

In 1086, Kingsbury was held by William the chamberlain.

Historical Context

Kingsbury in 1086

The Domesday Book was the result of a comprehensive survey ordered by William the Conqueror at Christmas 1085. Royal commissioners rode out across every county of England, recording the name and size of every settlement, who held it, what it was worth, and how that compared with the value it had held in the time of Edward the Confessor twenty years before.

For a settlement like Kingsbury, being entered in the Domesday Book was a defining moment in its history — a written acknowledgement of its existence by the new Norman state. The survey recorded the manor's lord, its taxable assessment in hides or carucates, the number of ploughs at work, and the population of villagers, smallholders and slaves who farmed the land.

The names of Domesday settlements reveal the deep roots of England's landscape. Many carry Saxon, Danish or even older origins — names that were already ancient when the Norman commissioners inscribed them in the great survey. Understanding a place's Domesday record is the first step in tracing the full arc of its history from the early medieval period to the present day.

About this area

Middlesex in the Domesday survey

Middlesex in 1086 was a small county surrounding London on its northern and western flanks. Much of its land was held by Westminster Abbey and other major ecclesiastical institutions, alongside the lay Norman baronage. Its villages supplied the city with food and resources, and the county's proximity to the capital meant its estates were particularly valuable and contested.

Common questions

Questions about Kingsbury

Was Kingsbury in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Kingsbury was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Middlesex.
Who held Kingsbury in 1086?+
In 1086, Kingsbury was held by William the chamberlain. The tenant-in-chief was Westminster (St Peter), abbey of.
Who held Kingsbury before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Kingsbury was held by Alwin Horne.
What was Kingsbury worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Kingsbury was valued at 1.5 pounds. The 1066 value was 3 pounds, showing a fall.
How many people lived in Kingsbury in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 21 people in Kingsbury: 16 villagers and 5 smallholders.
What land did Kingsbury have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Kingsbury as having land for 2 ploughs, 200 pigs of woodland.
Where is Kingsbury today?+
Kingsbury is a settlement in the historic county of Middlesex, England.
Aubrey Research

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